May 11, 2010

Reporters Notebooks

Mike DeArmond, Kansas City Star: Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton,
system president Gary Forsee and other Missouri officials had a two-hour
conference call last Thursday to discuss conference realignment.
The call did not include any Big Ten officials, but Missouri officials
are interested in how much its program is worth to the Big Ten and how
much it would benefit from joining the Big Ten.

Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune: The Big
Ten has denied a report that it has extended offers to Missouri,
Nebraska and Notre Dame. If the Fighting Irish
refuse, according to WHB in Kansas City,
Rutgers would be extended an invitation.

Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports.com: There's no way to find the
truth about Big
Ten expansion.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: Meet Les Miles and Mark Richt, two of the most successful coaches in recent Southeastern Conference history. Meet two men who are also a sneeze away from being in grave trouble with their respective fan bases.

Cliff Kirkpatrick, Corvallis Gazette-Times: Oregon State
quarterback Peter Lalich was booked and released from a boating DUI on
Lake Shasta in California. This is his third
alcohol-related incident in college. He had two while at Virginia,
which forced him off the team.

John Crumpacker, San Francisco Chronicle: AT&T Park was an easy winner over Candlestick and the Oakland Coliseum when it came time for California to find a home for the 2011 season, while aging Memorial Stadium is being retrofitted and renovated to 21st century standards.

Doug Smock, Charleston Gazette: East Carolina is the only Conference USA
school who
has earned the right to advance to a Bowl Championship Series
conference.

Mickey Furfari, Chaleston Daily Mail: West Virginia president James Clements thinks the school is well-positioned to remain a viable major power in intercollegiate athletics if Big Ten expansion raids the Big East.

Rob Moseley, Eugene Register-Guard: Work will begin this week to replace the artificial surface in Oregon's Autzen Stadium. Crews will also level the playing field, removing a prominent crown that measures 2%.

Rebecca De Leon, Boise State Arbiter: Chis Petersen's new contract calls for the Boise State coach to make $1.28 million this year and an additional $200,000 if he is still
the Bronco coach in next February.

Casper Star-Tribune: Wyoming's athletic budget is projected to be around $26 million
next year, one of the lower amounts in the Mountain West
Conference. The conference average is about $32.6 million.

Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame tight end Mike Ragone has been arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana.

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